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By J. H. Henderson, R. J. Wygal, J. Naar

Experimental work is reported which shows that consolidated rocks and unconsolidated porous media exhibit different imbibition flow behavior. At a given saturation the imbibition nonwetting permeabilities for a rock are smaller than the drainage permeabilities. The contrary happens for unconsolidated aggregates — imbibition nonwetting permeabilities are larger than drainage ones. A similar difference is observed for the wetting phase. Imbibition permeabilities are larger than drainage ones for a consolidated rock but smaller than drainage permeabilities for an unconsolidated medium. The results of these differences are examined for two cases. 1. Flooding Efficiency — Craig's1 scheme for the computation of production history of a five-spot water flood is shown to agree extremely well with experimental results obtained when using a system packed with glass spheres if imbibition relative permeability curves are used. 2. Alcohol-Slug Displacement — Published theory 2 on oil displacement by alcohol slugs has been questioned despite the apparent agreement between predicted and observed results. The present work suggests that, if imbibition relative permeability curves characteristic of the unconsolidated media used in the early experiments had been available to make the predictions, the inadequacy of the theory would have been immediately evident. The experimental work shows that poorly consolidated formations tend to behave like unconsolidated media. Finally, it is shown that the difference in imbibition behavior is directly related to pore-size distribution and cementation. PART 1 — THE FLOW BEHAVIOR OF UNCONSOLIDATED AGGREGATES Experiments on scaled models of field reservoirs are useful for studying new displacement processes which are incompletely understood. Even when a mathematical description is possible, the solution might be difficult and complex. An answer obtained from a scaled model is extremely valuable in such cases. A great amount of work$-5 therefore, has been devoted to the derivation of scaling laws. Similarity groups have been defined which assume (1) that the relative Permeability curves of the prototype and the model are the same whether the displacement is an imbibition or a drainage process and (2) that there is a linear relationship between the capillary pressure of the model and the prototype. For practical reasons (simplicity in the preparation of models, duration of the experiments, etc.), the porous media of laboratory models are usually unconsolidated packs of sand or glass particles. Hence, unless the capillary and flow characteristics of unconsolidated and consolidated systems are identical, the model data are applicable only to unconsolidated formations. The usefulness of scaled-model studies may then be seriouslyrestricted since most oil-bearing sands are consolidated. Perkins and Collins6 suggested the use of model and prototype curves normalized with respect to both relative permeability and saturation to improve compliance with scaling criteria. Even this technique does not give a satisfactory model-prototype match. This paper reports an observation of two-phase flow in unconsolidated sands which shows that, for most displacements, "scaling" in the strict sense of the word is not even qualitatively feasible with a sand model. It provides, however, a firm foundation for testing a theory by matching it with observed performance of laboratory-size models. EXPERIMENTAL AS a part of a basic study of packed aggregates, the relative permeability of glass-spheres and sand-grain packs was measured with capillary control. The fluids were oil and air' The spheres were packed in plastic cylinders 1-in. in diameter;

By Roman Y. Poderny, Vladimir V. Rjevskii

In the USSR, the Moscow Institute of Radio Electronics tronics and Mining Electro-Mechanics (MIRGEM) has started what it hopes will become a nationwide movement to educate mining students in the precise specialties that industry has come to require. Courses for mining engineers, the MIRGEM faculty proposes, should dovetail as exactly as possible with specific jobs available in the mining profession. Acting upon this thesis, MIRGEM revised its own curriculum in 1962 and has since presented an over-all plan for Soviet mining education before two mining school conferences as well as the Ministry of Higher Education and a number of major Soviet industrial ministries. The plan was universally approved with some suggested revisions. SOVIET MINING EDUCATION TODAY At present, mining education in the Soviet Union covers the exploitation of solid minerals and raw materials, including coal as well as ferrous and nonferrous metals. The extraction, storage, and refining of oil and gas is treated as a separate discipline. In all, there are 33 Soviet universities and institutes that train mining engineers for careers in the industrial, research and educational fields.

Jan 9, 1966

By A. E. Bellis

The problem of heat treating high-speed steel becomes more and more important as the design of cutters becomes more and more complicated in increasing the efficiency of mechanical operations. Hundreds of dollars' are spent in the design and manufacture-of milling cutters of special form ,for rapid production of duplicate or interchangeable parts, and then, as the heat treatment is faulty on the one hand, or scientifically executed on the other, the tool fails after a few operations, or its efficiency is greatly increased. The practical operation of giving these complicated tools the right temperature necessary to bring out the best cutting qualities, and at the same time bring the tool out "clean," is a difficult: one and calls for no small amount of skill. In order to be on the safe side, the average tool hardener uses a temperature much too low to give the best results with the high-speed steel he uses. In the case of cutters which are finished to a given diameter before hardening, it is impossible to grind the tool after hardening, so that it is essential that the surface be-protected from oxidizing or de-carbonizing. It is the aim of this paper to describe some experiments on hardening high-speed steel, in which metallographic means were used to determine the correct hardening temperatures. The accompanying table and plates show the results of hardening experiments on five different high-speed steels. The analyses for carbon, tungsten, chromium and vanadium of each steel are given in the accompanying table. Six specimens from the same bar :of each: kind of steel

Jan 1, 1917

By Herbert R. Mosley, Paul M. Tyler

Strategically situated in almost the heart of the leading fertilizer-consuming area of the United States, Tennessee long has ranked second only to Florida as a phosphate-producing state. Since 1932 its share of the national output of phosphate rock has increased steadily, and in 1937 its production mounted to an all-time record. More significant even than the increase in tonnage are the forward strides in technology. The Tennessee Valley Authority's research program has led to quasicommer-cia1 operations using hydroelectric power to manufacture concentrated phosphatic fertilizer that is used to further the farmer education program designed to streamline the fertilizer business and halt the appalling waste of farm land by soil erosion. Even more stimulating to chemically minded imaginations is the production of elemental phosphorus by a private company that not only has succeeded in extracting it from the phosphate rock in electric furnaces but actually has contrived to capture it and to transport it safely in tank cars. New values have been created for low-grade phosphate deposits, and the economic life of reserves has been lengthened while the waste of former years goes back into the mills for recovery of its values by modernized methods. Tennessee's phosphate-mining industry dates from the discovery of blue rock in Lewis County in December 1893. Its known reserves are of the order of 101,500,000 tons, which compares with the production of 825,099 tons in 1937; that is, 21 per cent of the phosphate-rock output of the whole nation. The total output reported from 1894 until July 1. 1938, was approximately 19,000,000 tons. Offcial estimates of reserves are overly conservative and evidence submitted before a joint Congressional committee in November 1938 places "probable" reserves at more than 6,000,000,000 tons.

Jan 1, 1942

By M. Muskat, R. D. Wyckoff

The general problem of the simultaneous movement of water and oil in a connected sand is of considerable practical interest from two points of view. First, there is the situation usually described as "edge-water encroachment." Here the water in the sands contiguous to and flanking the oil sand begins to enter the latter as the oil is removed and the reservoir pressure declines. The physical questions involved concern an understanding of the mechanism of the advance of the water and its control, so as to aid the oil recovery rather than to hinder it. In so far as the entry of the water into the oil sand means at least the partial replacement of the oil from the region of the encroachment by the advancing water, it is quite appropriate to consider this type of situation as one of natural water-flooding. For the present discussion, however, we are primarily interested in the problem of artificial flooding. Here the water is deliberately injected into the oil sand with the intention of displacing the oil and removing it through prearranged output wells. For the practical development of such a procedure rather large areas are included in the flooding program and the injection and output wells are arranged in regular patterns or networks, which are felt to be most favorable for a high oil recovery. Although remarkable success has already been obtained in such flooding programs, especially in the Bradford field of Pennsylvania, essentially by the application of the lessons of practical engineering experience, a more thorough physical analysis of the problem appeared to offer promise of leading to results of some interest and value. Another phase of the problem, which stimulated both the experimental and mathematical analysis, is that it is susceptible in large measure to empirical field tests. It, is in itself but an example and illustration of the general theory of the flow of dead (gas-free) liquids through porous media, in which the authors have been interested for the last several years. From the point of view of its applicability to actual petroleum technology problems, however, water-flooding is a particularly favorable

Jan 1, 1934

By Francis Foley

WITH the possible exception of high-speed tool steel, the service demanded of rock-drill steel is probably more precarious than that of any other tool steel. Unaided by the helpful influence of alloys and dependent solely on the efficiency of the heat treatment applied for its ability to stand up under the abuse to which it is necessarily subjected, rock-drill steel is worthy of intensive study. For its heat treatment the smith has his fire, an oil fire perhaps, and a quenching bath; he judges' the temperature by his eye. There are shops where excellent drills are produced by this method, but there are more where the product varies between very good and very bad. Pyrometers with specially designed equipment are used in but few cases. But the responsibility for rock-drill failures does not rest entirely on the smith. Little has been published concerning the efficiency of drill steel, though the Canadian Mining Journal' published the breakage record of a large number of hollow drill steels. This record indicates that most of the breaks occur during the early life of the steel and that as a given batch of steel is used, its percentage of breakage decreases. This fact, the article points out, is at variance with the much-talked-f theory concerning failure from crystallization and fatigue. It seems to point to the fact that the greater part of drill-steel failure from breakage is traceable to faulty manufacture, resulting in defects in the bore of the hollow steel from inclusions of slag or oxides, etc. As this defective material meets with early failure, it is weeded out. In addition, some breakage may be caused by a lack of proper condition with respect to heat treatment of the steel as furnished by the manufacturer. In the article mentioned, the breakage of 1 ¼ -in. (3.17 cm.) hollow steel is given as 4.62 per cent. for the early period of use, with a decrease to 3.35 per cent. and 2.67 per cent. With time in use. For 1-in. (2.5 cm.) hexagonal hollow steel, the figures for breakage are 0.18 per cent. and 0.06 per cent.; attention is called to the "enormous decrease in breakage by the use of smaller diameter drills." The figures are given as so many "drills sharpened," but there is no way of determining the percentage of

Jan 6, 1921

The importance, validity, and acceptability of the Paley Report has become the great issue of the minerals industry. A 12-man panel made up of representatives of various facets of the industry sat down at the 1952 Mining Congress Show in Denver in an attempt to clarify the many opinions currently held concerning the report. Howard Young, deputy administrator of the Defense Materials Procurement Administration, noted that the report had caused more discussion and serious thinking than any other government report, He did not subscribe to the "have not" principle, however, but called it a "need more" principle. Horace M. Allbright, president of U. S. Potash Corp., believes industry should continue to develop the report. He cited the editorial appearing in the September, 1952 edition of Bining Engineering,,, "Don't Let It Die," as expressing his feelings. Edward Snyder, president of Combined Metals Reduction Corp., says the statistics used in the report were used to promote a false international policy. He sees the report as a master plan for the development of the superstate. He also stated that the-ore reserves given in the Pales, report represent only 10 pct of what is actually available.

Jan 1, 1952

By J. Winter, W. C. Setzer, A. J. Goldman

ANISOTROPY in cold worked tempers of commercial aluminum alloys is manifested in deep drawn products as protuberances or ears 45 deg to the rolling direction. This reflects the {123}(412) rolling texture.' In fully annealed material, 0 to 90 deg ears in and per-

Jan 1, 1970

By Alexander Deussen

The figures listed in a table for Gulf Coast fields given by L. P. Teas1 in 1934 are so greatly at variance with results that I have obtained from a serious study of this subject over a number of years, that I am disposed to challenge the correctness of Mr. Teas' figures as an accurate representation of acre-foot yields of Gulf Coast fields, and as regards at least two of the fields listed by Mr. Teas I desire to "put into the record" some figures that, according to my study, are more nearly in accord with what I conceive to be the actual facts. Upon investigation I find that Mr. Teas' figures, inadvertently no doubt, arc not what they purport to be. Apparently the figures were arrived at by considering as thickness of the producing formation the net thickness of producing rock corresponding "to the total of the net portions of the producing zones which actually yield oil into the drill hole"—and in following this method I am under the impression that Mr. Teas was acting under instructions of the Institute in the preparation of this paper, in order to get comparable figures from the several fields of the United States. Apparently the author interpreted these instructions to mean that in the absence of cored thicknesses of producing horizons the actual number of feet of screen set in the various producing zones was to be taken as the basis for arriving at the thickness of these zones and the "acre-foot" yields. It is obvious that in many instances only 20 ft. of screen, or even 10 ft. of screen, might be set in a well, when there might be actually 100 ft. of oil sand present. In the early operations in the Gulf Coast it was usual to set much less screen than the amount of sand. It follows that the "acre-foot yields" so arrived at would be much greater than those found by using the full amount of sand. In Mr. Teas' table, it was indicated that up to the end of 1933 "acre-foot" yields had been obtained in the several fields as listed in Table 1. A casual inspection of these yields will show that certainly they do not properly reflect the amount of oil produced from an acre-foot of the

Jan 1, 1936

By J. V. Vogel

Jan 1, 1969

By P. H. G. Durville

ANY metal which contains even a small percentage of aluminum possesses certain peculiarities of appearance and properties which are exhibited both when the metal is melted and after it solidifies. Pure aluminum, or an alloy containing a small proportion of aluminum, can be melted without flux-except for a layer of charcoal-because a film of aluminum oxide and metal forms at the surface of melted aluminum. Although very thin, this film is air-proof, and it prevents the metal underneath from oxidizing. This oxidized film does not move easily on account of its toughness and high surface tension. One very important point in connection with this process of still casting has not been strongly enough stressed, namely, that the same kind of surface film with the same peculiarities forms over the surface of all melted alloys that contain even a small proportion of aluminum. Experienced foundrymen know how desirable it is to cast aluminum under its "skin" or under the surface of the film which tends to remain still. In the case of red copper, when in fusion, the surface shows pure copper only. This is due to the fact that liquid copper constantly absorbs the copper oxide which forms on the surface. By closely examining melting copper the oxide can be seen dissolving in the bath, and going into solution just as pulverized sugar dissolves in water. When copper is cast in the open, either in wire bars or cakes, the surface of metal exposed to the air is covered by a film of black, oxide that cannot be absorbed by the metal.

Jan 1, 1927

By Cloyd M. Smith

B. F. TiLLson*— The manifold difficulties of accurate anemometry in irregular sections of mine passageways, the irregular distributions of velocities in cross sections of the same, and the disturbing influence of the observer upon the air flow, all indicate an undesirable inaccuracy of results obtainable by any standardized method of traversing the section by an anemometer. It seems obvious that another, and simpler, method should be used to determine the volume of air flow in mine passages, namely: 1. At appropriate locations cement or calked framework rings should be installed permanently to equalize the irregularities of sectional contour and provide a place and means of attachment for a temporary cloth brattice which bears a rigid orifice. 2. The measurement of the velocity of air flow through the orifice may then be by anemometer or, preferably, by Pitot tube measurements of the differential pressures on both sides of the orifice in accordance with the standard practices available in engineering 1iterature. † The constants may be determined for various measuring positions in relation to the resulting "vena contracta." 3. The position of the person who makes the measurements is behind the brattice out of the air stream. The Pitot tube does not offer as disturbing an obstruction as the anemometer. A recording gauge may be employed to integrate fluctuations in air flow through that portion of the mine. No traverses are required because the reading may be at a single central point. An anemometer can be used with an orifice flow. The orifice will increase the air velocity at the measuring point, with correspondingly more accurate measurements where the normal air velocity through the passageway is low. Portable brattices might be devised with the cushioning rims which would seal against irregular rock surfaces where permanent rings were not available or feasible. The development by the Ventilation Committee of standard procedures and devices for the orifice measurement of the flow of mine ventilating air might be a desirable project for this coming year. C. M. Smith (author's reply)—Thank you for your discussion of my paper on underground anemometry. Your suggested method of measuring underground air flow is a novel one which might be applicable in some situations. It should be tested along with other suggested methods in any investigation of this subject. G. E. McElroy*—In spite of the adverse publicity that vane-anemometer methods of air measurement have had in the past and that contributed by the present paper, I endorse Mr. Erickovic's statement that anemometer traversing "has proved to be widely applicable, expeditious and simple" and add that available methods are accurate enough for the purposes for which they may be used. The fact that the great majority of minor mine officials assess relative changes in rates of air flow by comparison of crude vane-anemometer measurements, known to average 20 to 30 pct high, has no important bearing on this subject, because state inspection standards were based originally on such methods of air measurement. Federal inspection standards are based on actual rates of flow as determined by traversing, and interest in traversing methods is rapidly increasing. In considering traversing methods, three aspects are of major importance: (1) the absolute accuracy of calibrations; (2) the degree of interference with normal flow conditions introduced by traversing methods designed for accurate measurement by shaft-mounted instruments; and (3) the proper "method" factor to use for approximate measurements by hand-held instruments. With respect to absolute accuracy of calibrations, we have always placed reliance on calibrations made by the National Bureau of Standards, with which manufacturers' calibrations have usually agreed very closely. It is therefore particularly disturbing to find7 that calibrations made previous to June 1947 are presumably about 5 pct in error because of excessive registry caused by the thin flat plates on which anemometers were mounted for calibration. Velocities corrected for calibration have therefore averaged about 5 pct low in all probability. In this connection, it is interesting to note that an anemometer calibrated against Pitot-tube measurement by a single-point method in the Bureau of Mines experimental coal nine in 1923 indicated this same difference of about 5 pct and that the same instrument calibrated by a traversing method in a metal mine some months later indicated a difference in the same direction of about 4 pct. These results are reported by the Bureau of Mines.8 Regarding the degree of interference, or changes in velocity distribution, caused by the position of the observer's body in traversing operations, misconceptions seem to be especially prevalent, resulting in increasing advocacy of methods, such as the "clear section" method outlined in this paper, that cause just the type of interferences that they are designed to avoid. The degree of interference for any method may be gauged easily by a few experiments with a velocity-pressure gauge connected to a Pitot tube or with an indicating velocity meter such as the Velometer. In an experiment cited by McElroy and Richardson,# a decrease of 5 pct was noted at ten widths upstream from a 6-in. plank, whereas an observer's body at about the maximum practical distance of 6 ft downstream from the instrument is only about four widths away. In the Bureau of Standards paper previously mentioned, it is recommended that supports used in calibrations be at least 16 widths downstream. In practice, therefore, a downstream position of the observer is ruled out as far as accurate measurement is concerned. Operation of the anemometer by rigid shaft support from a point outside the section is seldom practicable; however, accurate results can be obtained, with the anemometer rigidly attached to a short shaft and held at arm's length, by an observer advancing across the traversed section while he faces the opposite wall and stands sideways to the current, provided that he keeps the instrument at least 3 ft away from his body at all times and traverses the entire section with it. If the traverse can be started with the observer in a side recess, the entire section can be covered in one operation. Normally, it would be covered in two half-sections. The presence of the observer's body does not, as is commonly supposed, increase the average velocity throughout the remaining part of the section. Rather, the velocities 1 to 2 ft on either side of his body are increased, but the distribution of velocities throughout the rest of the cross section remains normal, and a traverse made as stated gives a true average velocity for normal-flow conditions. Regarding the proper "method" factor for accounting for interference in the approximate methods of traversing with hand-held instruments, here again confusion prevails, for which the writer must assume some of the blame. Comparison of consecutive traverses made by shaft-held and hand-held 4-in. anemometers in field work after the tests reported by McElroy and Richardson' gave method factors

Jan 1, 1950

By R. M. Rose, K. A. Jones

Resistive measurements ulere made on superconducting niobium single crystals in transverse magnetic fields. Crystals were grouln in both high and ulfrahigh vacua, doped with stnall quantities of oxygen, and annealed in ultrahigh vacua at temperatures from 900' to 1350°C. Maxima in the fluxoid pinr~ir~g force were observedfor the [100] and [210] directions. The increase of the critical current density with dissoved oxygen was seen to saturate at relatively low concentration. This behavior, and the variation of J, and residual resistivity (as a function of oxygen content and annealing) of both clean and dirty gassy) crystals, is seen as a consequence of the formation of clusters with (210)~b habit planes and (200)ffo common boundaries. These suboxide clusters are apparenlly stable at high temperatures and very low oxygen concentrations. It is generally known that dissolved oxygen at concentrations well below the solubility limit sharply increases the critical current density of superconducting niobium.' Such a result would not be expected if Nb-0 solutions were random, not even as the result of segregation on the scale usually encountered in solid solutions. According to the Kim-Anderson theory of flux creep,' the critical transport current density is determined by the pinning force Fp associated with some feature of the microstructure. As the Lorentz force. a or (J X R), of the transport current in the magnetic field approaches Fp, flux creep and then flux flow occur. The pinning force is expected to be quite small if the heterogeneity involved is significantly smaller than tte range of coherency which for niobium is circa 250~.~ Although the strain field of an individual oxygen atom in the niobium lattice is relatively large, it does not seem plausible that individual atoms could be so effective as to account for the data. Also, ~ramer~ found that straining and strain aging specimens containing small amounts of oxygen on occasion decreased the residual resistivity. A possible explanation for the above behavior may be found in the work of van Ooijen and van der Goot,= who found that annealing changed J, for niobium foils containing oxygen, and they attributed the changes to ordering of the oxygen atoms. This phenomenon has been observed by other investigators using X-ray and PROCEDURE Cylindrical 4-in.-diam niobium single crystals with axial orientations [ill], [110], [112], and [oo~] were grown from pure niobium, see Table I for analysis, in an ion-pumped ultrahigh-vacuum system using the electron beam floating zone technique. Total pressure during growth was lo-'9 torr: the oxygen partial pressure was less than lo-" torr, as determined by a mass spectrometer. These crystals will be referred to as the "clean" crystals. Similar crystals were also grown in another system at a pressure of 5 X 10"6 torr. These crystals will be referred to as the "dirty" crystals. Specimens 14 in. long were cut from the as-grown crystals and one end was polished down to no. 600 carbide paper smoothness. A back-reflection Laue photograph was then taken in order to fix the crystallo-graphic directions transverse to the crystal. The critical current density J,, the current density necessary to produce a voltage drop of 1.0 pv between voltage leads placed a in. apart, was determined as a function of the magnitude and direction of the transverse magnetic field and of the oxygen concentration. The technique and experimental arrangement was essentially similar to that of Tedmon et al.' In the remainder of this paper, the azjmuthal angle $ for the field H is referenced to the [ I101 direction in all four crystals, and oxygen was added in small equal increments by anodization and annealing.7 The resistivity ratio, RR, of the resistance at room ternperature to that at 4.2"K (H =7.00 kG) was determined as well.

Jan 1, 1970

By R. S. Christie

Reservoir pressure is the pressure at which a fluid is held in a state of equilibrium in a porous stratum. This pressure may be a result of the genesis of oil or gas and its subsequent migration into and through an adjacent porous stratum, or of hydraulic head. Reservoir pressure is an indication of the potential energy contained in the reservoir, and when it is known the engineer is in a position to use it to advantage in recovering and lifting the oil. It is important to know the pressures in any type of reservoir, but this knowledge is probably of greater value in a limestone reservoir, as at Hobbs, where producing rates or conditions may be more sensitive to changes in pressures. The Hobbs field is in east central Lea County, New Mexico. The discovery well was completed by the Midwest Refining C I. in 1928, but intensive development did not begin until after the completion by the Humble Oil and Refining Co. of No. 1-A Bowers in February, 1930. There are 143 producing wells on approximately 5500 acres. The field has not been defined to the northwest, but a projection of structural contours indicates that the productive area ultimately may cover 7500 acres. The producing horizon is the White or Crystalline lime of Permian age. The top of the lime is found at an average depth of 4000 ft. and the wells penetrate it an average distance of 200 ft. The main pay zone is an oolitic stratum about 25 ft. below the top, and varies from 2 to 15 ft. in thickness. Other porous or cavernous strata are found lower in the lime but have little saturation. The initial production varied from 100 to 25,000 bbl. per day, depending perhaps to some extent on the structural location but chiefly on the porosity of the pay. The initial gas-oil ratio varied from 325 to 16,000 cu. ft. per barrel. In wells where the top of the White lime was found below 350 ft. below sea level (Fig. 1)) the gas-oil ratio was usually less than 1500 cu. ft. per barrel, while in wells higher than 350 ft. below sea level, the ratio was usually above 2000 cu. ft. per barrel. The water table has been determined at about 620 ft. below sea level, by three wells on the west side of the field. With few exceptions, the wells have been completed with 7-in. casing cemented

Jan 1, 1932

By Gary E. McIntosh

This paper will discuss a US Bureau of Mines project designed to assess and predict the impacts which surface coal mining will have on the regional shallow groundwater system in the Powder River Basin. The primary objective will be met through the accomplishment of the following: (1) The design and establishment of a regional network for monitoring shallow groundwater systems in the basin; (2) monitoring the direction and rate of flow, water quality, and aquifer characteristics of the shallow groundwater systems; and (3) development of a regional groundwater simulation model, with appurtenant subroutines to determine local effects.

Jan 4, 1979

AT the session on mine ventilation on Oct. 8, 1926, held in connection with the. autumn Institute meeting at Pittsburgh, there was considerable dis-cussion of the use of auxiliary fans in coal-mine ven-tilation, and before adjourning the following resolu-tion was passed: "Resolved, that we, as a Committee, in consideration of the increasing and widespread use of auxiliary fans iii coal mines deplore the fact that they are often used without adequate knowledge of their limitations and dangers."

Jan 2, 1927

By Thomas J. O’Neil

Once again, the United States Congress is debating the minerals depletion allowance. If the past is any indication, the debate will quickly become politicized. Representatives of the densely populated but mineral-poor Northeast will no doubt claim that percentage depletion is sheer robbery of tax dollars perpetrated by corporations to line the pockets of wealthy investors. Many southern and western legislators, on the other hand, will portray the depletion allowance as our only savior from mineral deprivation, blackmail from foreign producers, and a stone-age nonmineral existence. Although this characterization of the usual minerals depletion debate may be overstated, the most unfortunate aspect is that the genuinely important role of the depletion allowance in domestic minerals production is often obscured in congressional hearings. This article will try to provide a basic understanding of the minerals depletion allowance, the underlying rationale, and the increasingly important role the allowance will play in the future. Although the discussions and conclusions can be extended to the metal mining industry in general, most of the examples are drawn from the copper industry.

Jan 10, 1974

By Stanley W. Ivosevic

The commercial success of this low-grade property by Houston Oil and Minerals Corp. (succeeded in interest by Houston International Minerals, Inc.) resulted from credibility of analytical data furnished by the property vendor upon initial examination and from other favorable geologic criteria in evidence; from negotiation of lease terms not detrimental to project economics; from entrepreneurial exploration management; from an encouraging attitude by the US Forest Service; and from the favorable mining and metallurgical characteristics of the ore body. The potential of the property, but not its location, was brought to the attention of the project manager (the author) by the vendor some time before accepting employment with HO&M. In December, 1977, the vendor granted an examination to the project manager, by then an employee; and a lease to the 15 mining claims embracing the property was executed in April, 1978. (See Fig. 1.) Field work and extensive claim staking in this virgin district commenced in May, with drilling beginning in August. At the point that an apparent discovery was recognized in October, only $98,000-including property payments-had been expended on the project. By April, 1979, the deposit was drilled out on 60-m (200-ft) centers and a preliminary re- serve estimate, discounted cash-flow analysis, and recommendations for mine development and additional exploration submitted to management-all at a cost well below budget. The property was recommended for acquisition after matching favorable geologic criteria developed by the project manager. Favorable lithology, structure, and geochemical zonation converged on a subdued low-temperature hydrothermal alteration zone subtly expressed on a pediment surrounding the heart of the property, from which approx [ ]

Jan 1, 1985

By A. S. Richardson

THE rating of a mine ventilation fan, or the characteristic curves illustrating the duty it may be expected to perform under various mine conditions are, in general, determined by the fan manufacturers. The information is of importance to the operator, or engineer, of a mine in many ways. For instance, when an increased flow of air is desired and the fan speed is to be increased, it becomes necessary to know what increase in volume may be expected and what the power requirements will be. In other cases, it may be decided to make changes in the mine to reduce the resistance to the flow of air, or to make changes in the general system of ventilation. Under any changed mine conditions there will be a difference in the duty performed by the fan. When mechanical ventilation is adopted, the factors governing the selection of equipment for the new system include not only the requirements of existing conditions, but also those that may be expected with the development of the property. Efficiency of service is required over a variable range of operating conditions. Characteristic curves, giving the duty performed by their fans under variable resistance conditions, are published by most fan manufacturers. General statements as to the effect of variation in speed of the centrifugal-type fan, under fixed mine conditions, appear in textbooks and trade catalogs. However, to the author both sources of information appear to be unreliable, at least under certain circumstances. The catalog of a leading fan manufacturer says: 1. The volume of air delivered by a fan varies directly as the speed. 2. The pressure, or water gage, produced by a fan varies as the square of the fan speed. 3. The horsepower of a fan varies as the cube of the fan speed. While these statements are accurate when the fan is operating under conditions similar to those that exist when a blower is used to force air through a pipe, they are not correct under mine conditions that are by no means unusual. Such conditions may be found in deep mines operated through shafts, in which a wide range of temperatures may be

Jan 8, 1925

By Charles M. Rolker

(Read at the Philadelphia Meeting, February, 1878.) THE Mariposa estate, a grant made by the Mexican Government to Juan B. Alvarado, during the time when California was still under the dominion of Mexico, was purchased in 1847 by J. C. Fremont, and the United States patent issued to him in 1856. By sale, or its equivalent, money advanced, the property came into the hands of the Mariposa Company, June 25th, 1863, and through a varied existence of work and temporary inactivity, has as yet been kept as an undivided property, and rests at present with the Mariposa Land and Mining Company of California. I pass over this period of 15 years without giving the history of the ups and downs of the estate, partly because it is familiar to many, and also because I think in such a case this paper would assume too much the character of a narrative. The estate is situated in Mariposa County, California, about 170 miles southeast of San Francisco. It begins in lat. 37° 26’ 38" - north, and long. 119° 55' west, and runs 6 miles north; thence 6 1/2 miles west; thence 5 miles northwesterly towards the Merced River; thence 8 1/2 miles southerly; thence 3 miles easterly; thence 1 mile southerly; thence 2 miles easterly; thence 2 miles southerly; thence 2 miles easterly; thence I mile southerly; thence 2 miles easterly; thence 1 mile northerly, and thence 2 miles easterly to the place of the beginning; embracing 44,387 acres (70 sq. miles) more or less. To describe this vast estate in detail as to its full geology, its numerous quartz veins, its many facilities to exploit them and work them by cheap methods, would lead me further than I intend to go at present, and I will content myself to describe the latest workings of the company and its immediate field of operations. As long ago as 1860 the late Dr. Adelberg advised the running of an adit from the northwestern edge of the estate at Benton Mills on the Merced River. His object was to undercut the deepest workings of the then paying mines on the estate-the Pine Tree and Josephine. Following this advice, the tunnel known as "River Tunnel" was commenced. Its entrance is in S. 5, T. 4, S. R. 17 E. It is run in

Jan 1, 1878